Weigh-in Wednesday: The Universe

06/29/2011

This last week has been a lesson about The Universe. No matter what you believe in, or if you don’t believe in anything at all, most people agree that there is energy in everything. I have been trying to tap into my inner energy, my inner being, and make myself a better person, a more compassionate friend, a good business mentor, and a caring soul. Some days I struggle and think I am a selfish, ugly person. Other days I feel an overwhelming need to help others and give every ounce of my being to mankind. How could two sides of a person be in one person?

Every morning before I get out of bed I ask The Universe for what I need that day – whether it be a hug, money to pay my rent, to make up with an old friend, or even just the energy to put one foot in front of the other. Every night, I say thank you for the blessings that came my way. Some of my friends know that things have been a bit rough financially since my divorce. Well this week, I just asked for help in my financial situation – could be a new client, the lottery, or any number of things. I also told myself (and The Universe) that I if I got myself out of this mess that I would give back more. So some crazy stuff has happened this past week – a client I had written off actually sent me a check for $265 from 2 years ago, I found $120 cleaning off my desk (remember I’m paper messy!), brought on 4 new clients, and sold all of my glass from my flower shop (we are talking over 300 vases and I have had it for 2 years in my place)!!!! Thank you Universe, thank you.

How am I giving back you might ask yourself? I’m doing a little extreme couponing and using the surplus stuff I get and donating the items to the food banks and animal shelters. Send me your coupons and I will put them to great use! Seriously – send them to me!

Weight Loss:

Lost 3 pounds – I was so freaking excited to see that this morning!

What I Did Right This Week:

• Ate healthy most of the time. Except for that piece of cake. Shhhh our secret.
• Took apple cider vinegar capsules daily
• Meditated each morning
• Drank tea – enjoying Earl Grey Tea at the moment
• Kept a food diary – well, most days. This is SO hard to do every day.
• Started eating the recommended 5x a day

What I Did Wrong This Week:

• Had a piece of cake. Scoop of ice cream. Movie popcorn. How the hell did I lose 3 pounds?!?
• Didn’t work out at all – not once
• Didn’t eat enough Potassium and still under the recommended 1500 calories/day
• Haven’t kept my word that I would start training for the 3-Day. Still. I know.

Goals For This Week:

• Signup for the 4-Day Yoga Challenge at Blissful Yoga
• Cook at home 3x and make healthy meals on Sunday
• Be in the moment when I eat and workout
• Workout 2x, walk 15 miles, yoga 3x
• Meditate every morning

My intention for last week was Jealousy. Sometimes it is easy to get lost in your jealousy of others. But not everything nor everyone is black or white. Each of us has our own struggles in life. So even though you might have the client or career I want, doesn’t mean I am any less talented or desired. Often times I am jealous of women with seemingly perfect husbands and cute babies, and what appears to be a happy home. What I found out – they are jealous of me because I can eat whatever I want for dinner and it doesn’t have to be in nugget form, I can date as many men as I want, and can go to Europe to see my brother tour with Metallica if I so choose. We each choose our life path and if we don’t like the path we are on, well then, do something about it.

My intention for this week is The Universe. Most people know that I do not believe in religion, not at all actually. I do believe in a higher power, and most definitely, in energy. This week I am still going to ask for what I need from The Universe and be blessed and crazy surprised when it actually happens. I’m also going to give back, whether it be a smile to a stranger, a text or phone call to a friend who is grief-stricken, or helping another attain their dreams. Thank you Universe for these lessons, and yes, I am listening.

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Klout Perk: Franklin & Bash

Love opening up my mail to see a new Klout Perk waiting there for me. First, what exactly is Klout?

The Klout Score is the measurement of your overall online influence. The scores range from 1 to 100 with higher scores representing a wider and stronger sphere of influence. Klout uses over 35 variables on Facebook and Twitter to measure True Reach, Amplification Probability, and Network Score.

When you’re registered for Klout you’re eligible to receive Klout Perks such as early access to products or exclusive events. They notify usually via Twitter when you receive a perk. It’s like waking up to see an unexpected present in your Twitter stream! I love it.

Recently I received a Klout Perk for the new law show on TNT called Franklin & Bash. I had never heard of the show before, and I am not one to pass up on a perk, so I clicked the box that would allow the perk to be shipped to me. When I received it I was pleasantly surprised. It was a leather bound legal pad with Franklin & Bash on the cover – love that they used the premise of the show with relevant shwag that corresponded to their brand. Awesome! One less conversation I needed to have with a company on branding!!

Unfortunately my Klout Perk came a couple weeks after I was awarded it and thus I had forgotten to record the show. No fear – I went to TNT and watched the episodes I had missed. I liked the premise of the show that you have two lawyers who look and act like screw-ups and do some crazy antics in the courtroom. Through these less-than-normal courtroom procedures they are able to show a different side of the stuffy lawyer image. To be honest though, I’m not sure if I believe that these antics would really ever happen in real life. But who knows, maybe attorneys use bizarre strategies that don’t make it into the 5 o’clock news.

Call me sexist, but I did enjoy the scenes where they had Bash, played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar, taking off his shirt. Nope, didn’t mind that at all. It’s easy to tell Peter Bash that is this show’s ladies man with a killer body – and I hope that they take full advantage of that fact this season. I love the quirkiness of Brecklin Meyer as he plays Jared Franklin, even though he still plays a character that hasn’t seemed to grow up, he plays it well. He is very quick witted and champions the little guy.       

Become a fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FranklinBash 

Stay connected via Twitter, join the conversation:
@FrankandBashTNT
@MP_Gosselaar
@breckinmeyer

I will be tweeting along all season under @KristiTrimmer as each new episode comes out. Can’t promise it I will be live tweeting! Thank you @Klout and @FrankandBashTNT for giving me such a good perk! Love my new leather pad and can’t wait to use it take copious notes!

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Weigh-in Wednesday: Jealousy

06/22/2011

I was astounded by the response that week’s blog generated! When I was writing it, I thought this will be one blog that no one comments on. Boy was I wrong! Forgiveness of ourselves is something everyone can relate to and the topic resonated with so many people. Thank you for sharing your stories and words of encouragement with me.

Love it. Forgive. Let Go. Move On.

I know most people have wondered if I have gained any more weight – I haven’t – but I haven’t lost any either. This might be a good thing too. I didn’t exercise at all this week. Not one step, not one yoga move, nothing. Too afraid of gaining more weight. I’m at the heaviest I have ever been in my life and I am not happy about it. My stomach looks like a Michelin tire for Pete’s sake. Although I did get hit on at the grocery store the other day – first time ever that has happened! I kind of liked it.

Love this picture of my brother Rick when he was on tour with Carrie Underwood. He just returned from South America with Paul McCartney and is headed out on a European tour with Metallica. I am so proud of him! He is a videographer for music tours and has been quite successful these past years living his dream. And yes, I will admit I am jealous as hell. I’ve always wanted to go to Europe – do you think he would notice if I stowed away in his luggage? So if you don’t hear from me for awhile or see me tweeting from Rome, then you know I was successful!

On a serious note, how do you deal with jealousy? I’ve felt it creeping up on me lately in regards to friends, family, and colleagues and I don’t like it. At least I can admit I’m having these feelings, so then I can work on removing them. What makes your Green Flag fly?

Weight Loss:

Lost 0 pounds

What I Did Right This Week:

• Ate mostly healthy things
• Took apple cider vinegar capsules daily
• Meditated each morning
• Drank tea and had only one Pepsi – again!!
• Kept a food diary – well, most days. This is SO hard to do every day.
• Started eating the recommended 5x a day – easier than I thought

What I Did Wrong This Week:

• Didn’t eat enough Potassium and still under the recommended 1500 calories/day
• Didn’t work out at all – #fail
• Haven’t kept my word that I would start training for the 3-Day

Goals For This Week:

• Signup for 1 month of yoga! So looking forward to doing this.
• Cook at home 3x and make healthy meals on Sunday
• Be in the moment when I eat and workout
• Workout 2x, hike 4x, walk 15 miles, yoga 3x – that’s a few 2 a days!
• Meditate every morning

My intention for last week was to Forgiveness. When you forgive and let go, you allow yourself the chance to breathe and dream again. Forgive. Let go. Move on. << I can’t say it better than that. I am now practicing forgiveness every day. I feel it is truly helping to heal my soul.

My intention for this week is Jealousy. Why am I jealous of others or what they are doing? Why can’t I be happy with my own life. I create my own life, so if I want what they have, then I need to go after it and get it. So much easier to say than do, but I am up for the challenge! One step at a time right? Would love to hear your tips of fighting the mighty Jealousy Sword.

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Psych-K and My Beliefs

Two weeks ago I was offered the opportunity to see what Psych-K was all about. Chris Lombardo is a Pysch-K facilitator at his Slim & Fit studio in Scottsdale. I walked in not knowing really what I was in for, but Chris had told me that I could do some simple techniques to help with my weight loss. I am always up to learning how to help my body in being a better machine!

Basically, Psych-K is like when you drive a car with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake – you don’t tend to go anywhere! When you have a conflict between what you want consciously to what your subconscious believes you are entitled to, it’s like you are spinning your wheels. This kind of conflict manifests itself in relationships, job performance, self-esteem, physical activity, weight loss, prosperity, even your overall physical health. Who knew? I surely didn’t.

The theory is that with Psych-K you can reframe your past experiences so they align with your new beliefs. As your perception evolves, you tend to attract and create what you really want in your life. Our subconscious beliefs establish the limits of what we can achieve. I truly believe this.

Everyday before getting out of bed I envision my goals for the day and it really seems to help me stay focused. Also, when people say little mantras to themselves they tend to believe them over time. This is sort of like that, but way different.

Chris asked me what I wanted to focus on this day, and I told him that my primary focus was weight loss. I told him about my edema issues and that I was frustrated that my body couldn’t heal itself. He started out by asking me asking me questions while holding my arm out and saying the words, “Be strong.” If the statement was false, he could easily push my arm down. If it was a true statement, my arm was solid and would not budge. I thought that was a bit crazy in itself. But after a few questions – I started to see the truth for myself.

If a statement was negative he would have me repeat a positive mantra until I truly believed it. One such mantra was – My body can heal itself. Now, I am no doctor and I can’t say for certain that I believe this, but I do know I believe in both Eastern and Western medicine and that our bodies have an amazing capacity to heal. So now, before I go to the gym or on a hike, I say this mantra to myself for about a minute. What can it hurt?

One belief that I was holding subconsciously that I think has really holding me back was that I didn’t trust myself. Going through a divorce, losing my floral business, and all the other losses I was dealt these last two years had me questioning my sanity and whether I could trust myself to make sound decisions, both personally and professionally. By doing the Psych-K exercise and changing my negative belief structure, I was able to feel calm, secure, and that I once again could trust my judgment. In the two weeks since this session, my current business Orange Dragonfly Media has really taken off. I am making great decisions again, connecting with referral partners, and putting my little company on a successful path!

Can’t wait to see Chris again to tackle another belief that I can let go of now. Call him today to try it for yourself – you might be amazed!

Contact Info:

Whole Brain Balance
15475 N. Greenway-Hayden Loop Suite B-17
Scottsdale, AZ  85260

480.779.8848
wholebrainbalance@gmail.com
http://www.newbeliefempowers.com

Business hours:
M-F 8am – 5pm
Sat-Sun By Appointment Only

*I was not paid to write this review. I did receive my first session free of charge with the option of writing a review, whether positive or negative, depending on my experience.*

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Weigh-in Wednesday: Forgiveness

06/15/2011

I forgive my body. I forgive it for holding water for days. I forgive it for battling edema on a daily basis. I forgive it for not being perfect. That is a strong statement that I am still trying to wrap my head around. I’ve always known my mind is far from perfect, but to acknowledge that my body isn’t, hasn’t ever really crossed my mind. I always thought you are dealt certain genes and these genes determine if you are thin or fat, have a great metabolism or if you even look at chocolate cake you can gain 5 pounds. I was asked the other day what I felt my best physical features were – that’s easy – my eyes, my lips, and my DDs. Yes I just said that. I’ve always said I am great from my the boobs up. I’ve never liked my legs as I can’t even buy those designer calf boots in the winter that everyone wears because my calves are so huge. Sigh. As an athlete growing up, I have always had extremely muscular legs, especially my calves. Don’t even get me started on what I don’t like about my stomach!

In the last 2 weeks I have gained 7 pounds. 7 pounds!! This past week I gained 6 pounds alone and have lost 4 of those the last few days – but that is still a +2 for the week. I went back to tracking what I eat on a daily basis, am drinking unsweetened tea instead of Pepsi, and have only had 3 glasses of wine in a week. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and went hiking a few times. To me, that sounds pretty healthy. So what is my body trying to tell me with this weight gain? I’m actually scared to hike anymore because I don’t want to gain any more water. Might just try going to the gym this week instead. I still have to train for the 3-Day with some training walks, but oy vey, I can’t handle putting on another pound of water weight.

I’m also very happy right now. I planted a container garden this weekend where I planted squash, melons, pumpkins, and tons of tomatoes. I’m dating someone who seems to get me. In one day, he made me breakfast, we planted a vegetable and herb garden together, went to Chipotle for lunch (yummy Carnitas Salad!), walked around Costco, (all my favorite things to do in one day!) and just truly enjoyed being with each other. He doesn’t care if my hair is in a ponytail and there isn’t an ounce of makeup in sight. Today he even left work on his lunch hour to take care of the little wasp issue that was leaving me in a panic attack. Yep, I’m happy.

Weight Loss:

Gained 2 pounds

What I Did Right This Week:

What I Did Wrong This Week:

Goals For This Week:

• Cook at home 4x and make healthy meals on Sunday – love doing this!
• Write down my food intake everyday
• Be in the moment when I eat and workout
• Workout 2x, hike 4x, walk 15 miles
• Meditate every morning

This week I kept dreaming about forgiveness. It was weird actually. My dreams showed me friends and family who needed me to forgive them so that I could move on. It was kind of surreal. So this week instead of practicing Persistence, I practiced Forgiveness. I forgave those who spoke ill of me, I forgave those that may have slighted me in the past, I forgave my family for not always knowing what I needed. I also forgave myself. I forgave myself for not always saying the right thing, for acting the way others think I should, I also forgave myself for just being me. I have always walked to a different drummer and most of the time that is a good thing, in other situations, it has caused issues. And I forgive myself for this. I accept the negative parts of me and have realized they make me who I am – we all have positive and negative attributes and none of us are perfect. We have to accept each other for who we are, not for who we want others to be. This is huge if you really think about.

My intention for last week was to Persistence. I keep trying – I’m eating right, working out, taking my vitamins, reduced my soda and alcohol consumption. I will keep doing the right things and have faith that the weight will come off.

My intention for this week is Forgiveness. I don’t think I am done with this one yet. I was still dreaming about it last night. When you forgive and let go, you allow yourself the chance to breathe and dream again. I cannot be everything to everyone, and I am not going to try anymore. Forgive. Let go. Move on.

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Weigh-in Wednesday: The 3-Day

06/08/2011

I went on a few hikes again this week and swelled up like a balloon once again. From what I am hearing from my friends and family, this is not normal. My edema is out of control! If you touch my arms you can feel the liquid that is sitting just below the skin and on top of the muscle. I had a friend suggest I have my kidneys checked and she is sending me a place that will do a free test. Without insurance, I unfortunately don’t have the option of going to a doctor right now. My cousin @indianabackdoc is a Chiropractor and Ironman athlete and is having me try some different amino acids to see if the edema is being affected by an illness I just recovered from. The main thing I need to use every day is this awesome software program from @terrysimpson that tracks each food’s nutrients and tells you what foods you need to eat to actually hit the daily recommended guidelines. It is wickedly cool. Here is his website for meal planning and watch the video. It even allows a glass on wine daily – now that is what I call healthy living!

I started my Breast Cancer 3-Day training this past Sunday. It was the Kick-off Walk that starts the official training for the 60-mile walk. That’s right – 60 miles over 3 days. Crazy I know. Here is the video I made the very 1st time I walked 3 years ago in honor of my Aunt Debbie. Still cry every time I watch it. I have to raise a minimum of $2,300 to walk and am happy to accept your donation! Want to walk with me? Send me a note and am happy to welcome you to our team.

I walked in 2008 & 2009 in support of my Aunt Debbie who battled breast cancer. She had a double mastectomy and is currently cancer free! I raised $14k during those 2 years. This year I walk in honor of my Aunt Areta who has Stage 3 Breast Cancer and just went through a mastectomy as well. I want to raise $6,500 to help fight this cancer that has deeply affected the women in my life. I can be honest – I am scared of the day of finding a lump in my own breast. Through your donation & support, there will be new medications and treatments to help eradicate this horrible disease. I’m going to walk 60 miles over 3 days – what are you going to do? Donate today! Don’t wait.

Breast Cancer 3-Day 2009 Video. @ Orange Dragonfly Media

Weight Loss:

Gained 2.5 pounds – I cried when I got on the scale today.

What I Did Right This Week:

• Ate somewhat healthily
• Took apple cider vinegar capsules daily
• Hiked 2x
• Walked 3 miles
• Meditated each morning
• Made tea instead of drinking Pepsi

What I Did Wrong This Week:

• Didn’t drink Kombucha – but I bought some!
• Drank Pepsi once at the movies.
• Caved into a craving for movie popcorn – again.
• Found out that I started snacking around 2 in the afternoon. Must increase protein at lunch!

Goals For This Week:

• Cook at home 4x and make healthy meals on Sunday
• Write down my food intake again
• Be in the moment when I eat and workout
• Workout 2x, hike 4x, walk 12 miles
• Meditate every morning

This week was very tough on me. With gaining over 6.5 pounds in 2 weeks of water weight and having a hard time fitting into my clothes, it royally sucked. If I was sitting on my couch eating Bon Bons and not working out, I can see why I would have gained weight. Now I am the 1st to admit that while I don’t have a portion control problem, I have recently had a midday snacking problem. Even then, I measure out a recommended serving and it is normally not ever over 150 calories. This is water weight, plain and simple. I am so swollen all over that even my eyelids are puffy! It looks like I have been crying for days. I haven’t worn make-up most of the week because it just looks ridiculous. So this week I am going to stick to my goals above, limit my alcohol intake, and do what all of my friends have suggested and see if I can figure out this edema problem.

My intention for last week was to Completion. This is still a struggle for me. I did get quite a few projects finished, but not all of them. I need one full week without meetings, phone calls, or a life to get caught up – but whoever has that!! I’m working on it! It helps that each day I write down what I must accomplish that day and work diligently on that list. Ok, I know I need to do more though!

My intention for this week is Persistence. If I keep eating right and working out, take my vitamins, and do everything I am supposed to do, then the weight will come off, right? RIGHT?!? Well I have been writing this blog weekly since December and I have gained 3 pounds overall. #fail It honestly makes me feel like a failure too. Persistence. I will try.

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Weigh-in Wednesday: Hiking = Weight Gain

06/01/2011

I have absolutely loved hiking this past week. I went on a 2-hour hike up the Sonoran Phoenix Preserves, which is a new trailhead in North Phoenix. Wow, it’s gorgeous! There is a place along the trail that you can’t see any sign of civilization – I was in Heaven – this is my absolute favorite thing about being out I nature. Mind you, it was a tough hike for me, but those views were worth it! I definitely want to do this trail again. It’s not one I would do alone though because with it being still so new, the snakes and other critters don’t exactly leave you alone. One thing I didn’t like were all the cholla plants – I admit I am slightly, ok more than slightly, terrified of them. Jumping cactus scare me more than a rattlesnake – well, until I see a rattler of course! This hike usually takes my friends only an hour since they do run some of it, and I was happy with my first time of 1’58”. I gained more than 4 pounds on this hike though! My hands were so swollen that I couldn’t even touch my thumb and pinky together. It was the craziest sight!!

Over the holiday weekend, I went on a 4-hour hike at Bartlett Lake. Another area with just gorgeous views. Saguaros that are about the tallest I have ever seen with delicate white blooms. The water was crazy low and I even stood on the rock pile, that normally when you are in your boat, you have to watch out for and its big Rock sign. These trails are well maintained, but we didn’t see another hiker the whole time we were out there. I wouldn’t do this hike alone as it is pretty steep in some areas and you are truly in the middle of nature. Of course, I loved it.

I want to be outside all the time now hiking up trails and exploring our great state. How have I lived here my whole life and have never really done this. As I tried to figure that out I remembered I was dating a guy who took me to Camelback Mountain for my first ever hike. What was he thinking? It was way too difficult for a beginner and it made me scared to try any other trails.

I am so glad that I have put my Camelbak back on and am on the trails 2-3x a week as part of my training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. My edema has gone completely nuts. I gained over 6 pounds in 72 hours hiking 3 days in a row. I still haven’t lost that weight. I am officially the heaviest I have ever been in my life – heavier than when I started these blog posts. I am frustrated and depressed over it. BUT I also know that I am healthier than what I was – I am active and out enjoying my life on the trails, I eat better, and look forward to pushing my limits. I *know* the scale is just a number, but I can’t deny how self-defeating it is to know you have worked out so much and then to see the number go up. Ugh. Sometimes I feel like the Marshmallow Man – I have so much water in me that I am pudgy. And that’s not a word a girl likes to hear.

Tallest saguaro I had ever seen!

Weight Loss:

Gained 4 pounds – I don’t want to talk about it.

What I Did Right This Week:

• Ate healthy – grilled chicken & asparagus, made lentils for first time, and another yummy quinoa dish
• Took apple cider vinegar capsules daily
• Hiked 4x
• Made green protein shake 1x
• Meditated each morning
• Did not drink wine during the week
• Did not drink Pepsi during the week!!

What I Did Wrong This Week:

• Didn’t drink Kombucha – it is temporarily out of my budget.
• Drank Pepsi once at the movies.
• Caved into a craving for movie popcorn – yummy.

Goals For This Week:

• Cook at home 4x and make healthy meals on Sunday
• Write down my food intake again
• Make my protein shake 3x
• Workout 4x, hiking 4x
• Meditate every morning

Weight loss and weight gain is a highly personal topic and sometimes it is hard to come on here and share my life. I thank those of you that comment on my blogs and reach out with encouraging words and especially those of you that say I am inspiring you to get back out there. Life’s journey is not meant to be traveled alone, but shared with those that are close to us. I thought I knew myself really well. But I will tell you, until you see your fallacies and your capacity for compassion and change, you don’t really know anything. I know I am in a huge state of change. There are aspects of myself that I am more than happy to change – we all have them – those qualities that we hope no one sees. Then there are things about me that I hope never change. My weight – well – I will be so happy when that number goes down. Cuz I will tell you, weighing more than the guys you date can sometimes be a debilitating feeling. Then I remember I am a Rockstar and get over it!

My intention for last week was to Dream. I am listening to my dreams again. Strangely enough, I have survived to Apocalypse in my dreams – so crazy I know! I’ve also dreamt of the hills of Tuscany, the Cliffs of Moher, being in love, and of flying. I don’t take any of them literally – but how cool would it be if I did. I also dream of the day when I will know myself again and am happy with the woman I have become.

My intention for this week is to Completion. I have quite a few things that are 99% complete and just need a bit of time to get them done. Does anyone else do this? I am trying to change this about myself, but oy vey is it tough. Let’s see how many tasks I can complete when I put my mind to it!

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